1. Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method of identifying photographic films wherein an exposure identification number is positioned in the exposure zone of a film or slide in addition to a corresponding exposure identification number positioned adjacent to the exposure zone, and more particularly to a method of identifying the particular roll of film from which several short film segments, having a sequence of exposures, originated.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Film identification methods of the type concerned here normally utilize an exposure identification number or indicia positioned adjacent to the exposure zone of a film or slide. In the case of a roll of film providing a sequence of pictures or exposures, the prior art arrangements locate the identifying indica in a blank strip between adjacent frames on 110 film, and on the edge of the film for 35 mm film. in the latter case, oftentimes the identification number is provided twice per exposure, to prevent confusion as to which identification number refers to the appropriate exposure if said number falls between two exposures. Typically, an arrow is placed by the identification number to indicate the exposure to which the number refers.
However, with small negatives, especially if a series of similar pictures follow one another, it is difficult to distinguish one from another without having an enlargement on hand. Even when one does have the enlarged prints of the similar subjects, it may still be difficult to match the similar prints and their negatives. This situation results in a great deal of inconvenience since the smaller the negative the greater the difficulty in determining which enlargement corresponds to the appropriate negative.
Negative films are usually delivered in short lengths, typically lengths including four (4) exposures each. While the last length of the film carries an extension or the "tail" of the film on which the film roll identification number is provided, the remaining strips, from the first until the last, have no extension or "tail" and are, therefore, not numbered. Accordingly, a further inconvenience of the known methods resides in the fact that the particular roll of film, from which short negative film strips are cut, can not be identified if the film strips have been mixed with strips coming from other rolls of film. The known identification methods only show the picture identification numbers for that particular strip but not the film roll identification number from which the strip originated.